The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Fuel efficiency has been a motivating force behind vehicle design in recent years and will likely continue in the foreseeable future. As such, reducing the weight of the vehicle, improving aerodynamics, and improved efficiency in design will remain priorities for vehicle designers. In addition to fuel efficiency, reduced cost of components, including parts, assemblies, and subsystems, among others, is another priority for vehicle designers and manufacturers.
Accordingly, composite materials have been used to reduce the weight of vehicles, however, their costs have been much higher than traditional materials such as steel or aluminum. One such composite material that is used in a variety of vehicle components is mineral or talc filled polypropylene copolymers. Polypropylene copolymer parts often include talc in about 20 wt. % as a structural filler to improve mechanical properties. Generally, polypropylene copolymers are available at a low cost, and the addition of talc improves stiffness, impact strength, and heat resistance.
However, talc-filled polypropylene copolymers still have a relatively high density (between about 1.04 and 1.06 gm/cm3). Furthermore, the addition of other components to the polypropylene copolymer composite such viscosity agents, which improve moldability (e.g., injection molding) of the polypropylene copolymer composite, further increases density and overall costs.
The present disclosure addresses these challenges related to the design and manufacture of lighter weight and lower cost vehicle components.